Display panel, manufacturing method thereof and display apparatus

Abstract

A display panel includes a substrate and a light emitting element array including a plurality of light emitting elements provided on the substrate. The light emitting elements are driven by driving signals to emit light. The display panel further includes a lens array that focuses the light emitted by the light emitting elements, and a driving circuit provided on the substrate for driving the light emitting elements. The lens array includes a plurality of lens pillars formed on the light emitting elements, and a plurality of lens portions formed to cover the lens pillars and to have curved lens surfaces.

1 . A display panel comprising:
 a substrate;   a light emitting element array including a plurality of light emitting elements provided on said substrate, said light emitting elements being driven by driving signals to emit light;   a lens array that focuses said light emitted by said light emitting elements, and   a driving circuit provided on said substrate for driving said light emitting elements,   wherein said lens array comprises:   a plurality of lens pillars formed on said light emitting elements, and   a plurality of lens portions formed to cover said lens pillars and to have curved lens surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . The display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said curved lens surfaces are substantially spherical surfaces. 
     
     
         3 . The display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said lens pillars has a trapezoidal shape when cut by a plane perpendicular to said substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said lens pillars has a tiered structure including a plurality of pillar portions arranged in a direction perpendicular to said substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said lens portions of said lens array adjacent to each other are separated from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said lens pillars and said lens portions are made of materials having substantially the same light transmission characteristics. 
     
     
         7 . The display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said lens pillars and said lens portions are made of materials having different light transmission characteristics. 
     
     
         8 . The display panel according to  claim 1 , wherein said lens array is formed so as to expose a portion where a pad portion is formed for supplying said driving signal to said light emitting elements. 
     
     
         9 . A manufacturing method of a display panel comprising the steps of:
 forming a light emitting element array on a substrate, said light emitting element array including a plurality of light emitting elements driven by driving signals to emit light;   forming a lens-pillar-material layer on said light emitting elements;   performing a photolithographic process to form said lens-pillar-material layer into a plurality of lens pillars on said light emitting elements;   laminating a lens-portion-material layer on said lens pillars using a dry film resist so that gaps are left between said lens pillars;   performing heat treatment to cause said lens-portion-material layer to be softened and filled in said gaps so that said lens-portion-material layer is imparted with lens shapes corresponding to lens portions, wherein said lens portions and said lens pillars constitute a lens array that focuses said light emitted by said light emitting elements, and   mounting a driving circuit on said substrate for driving said light emitting element.   
     
     
         10 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 9 , after said of performing said heat treatment, further comprising a step of:
 patterning said lens-portion-material layer with lens shapes using a photolithographic process to form an opening for providing a pad portion therein, wherein said pad portion is used to supply said driving signals to said light emitting elements.   
     
     
         11 . The manufacturing method according to  claim 9 , wherein said lens-pillar-material layer is composed of photoresist, and said forming step of said lens-pillar-material layer includes a coating of said photoresist on said substrate. 
     
     
         12 . A display apparatus comprising said display panel according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . The display apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising an optical system that projects light emitted by said lens array of said display panel on a predetermined portion so as to display an image using said light. 
     
     
         14 . The display apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said predetermined portion is a screen, a half mirror or a hologram element.